Here’s why we’re an excellent alternative to both large and small CRE firms
Just about everybody in the business world is striving to reach the top of their markets. Those companies populated with the best-qualified people tend to enjoy higher levels of success – that’s pretty much a given.
But how do firms attract the right people? Where do they come from?
Conversely, how do you as an advisor assess the vast differences in commercial real estate firms? How does each encumber or complement your strengths and help further the lifestyle you’re striving you attain?
The SVN Commercial Advisory Group is always trying to get great people onboard who are hungry, proficient and of a highly professional demeanor. They have good market knowledge and they’re in geographic areas that make sense to us. Some advisors, like me, have come to SVN from larger, institutional firms. But most move up from smaller brokerages or from “resi-mercial” firms that attempt to broker both residential and commercial transactions. Others simply wish to switch directly from residential real estate to commercial.
Of course, SVN also attracts recruits who are new to real estate, some of them fresh from completing an education. We welcome them and run a robust mentoring program to give newbies the best possible chance to build a sustainable business. But I’d like to focus here on how our message is geared toward professionals currently working for other brokerages. What can we do to get them working for us?
First, we create our selling points, which differ based on whether a recruit is currently working for a larger, institutional firm or a smaller office. I came from a great company, but I can tell you that the culture is different here. At SVN, the culture is more than just professional – it’s also very friendly and collaborative. We’re a team in every sense of the word and we all benefit from the high degree of cooperation that exists here.
Another selling point: Our offices are firmly established in tertiary markets, not just in the major metropolitan areas. We have 150 commercial real estate advisors in the state of Florida alone, more than any of our competitors, as well as having more brick-and-mortar locations in such places as Sarasota, Gainesville, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Lakeland and other markets. That means we’re tapped into the local markets and know them well. We have local connections that the big firms may not have.
Many of the larger players have their offices nailed down in major cities like Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa. And while they can handle a deal in, say, Lakeland, it often entails an advisor hopping in the car and taking a long road trip to get there. SVN offices are already in the regions where these deals are taking place.
For recruits coming from the smaller firms, our message is clear: SVN has a national platform with offices spread across the country and even in international markets. We offer a similar level of services as the larger companies and place excellent tools in the hands of our advisors. Team members have access to marketing services, administrative support and professional office environments. They also have the ability to set their own schedules and work from home – advantages that may not exist at their current brokerages.
But the national platform is what really gives us an edge. If members of a local buying pool aren’t ready to pay what the market demands of a given listing, we can take it to the next level. We’ll leverage the SVN platform, market to the entire state of Florida, and then to the nation at large. Because this is warm weather, tax-friendly state, we can market to someone in Illinois, New York or elsewhere. Many out-of-state buyers, including Canadian investors, are looking for investments here. Our wide reach allows us to take advantage of that.
In many ways, SVN offers the best of both worlds and it keeps us staffed with some of the best commercial real estate advisors in the business.
If you’re a commercial real estate advisor considering a change or are new to CRE, looking for a professional mentoring opportunity, let’s talk. I’d be happy to share my insights into working for major corporate firms, boutiques and specialized companies like SVN.